Chapter 11 - A Dead Man at the Door“Ethan!”
The voice came again.
“Buddy, open the door.”
Ethan struggled against Daniel.
“That’s my dad!”
Daniel held him.
“Listen to me.”
“That’s him!”
“No.”
Tears filled Ethan’s eyes.
“You don’t know his voice!”
Daniel did.
That was the problem.
It sounded exactly like Michael.
Carol whispered:
“What the hell is happening?”
Daniel pointed toward the rear stairwell.
“Take Ethan.”
“No!”
“Go.”
The doorknob moved.
Daniel waited beside the frame.
The door opened.
A man stepped inside.
Daniel grabbed him and slammed him against the wall.
Ethan screamed.
“Stop!”
Daniel froze.
The man’s face was bruised.
Bearded.
Older.
But unmistakable.
Michael Cole.
Alive.
Daniel released him.
Michael gasped for breath.
“Still friendly.”
Daniel stared.
“I saw photographs of your body.”
“Wasn’t me.”
Ethan ran forward.
“Dad!”
Michael dropped to his knees and wrapped his arms around his son.
For a moment nobody spoke.
Daniel watched them.
Something hurt inside his chest.
Then Michael looked up.
“We have maybe ten minutes.”
Daniel’s suspicion returned.
“How did you find us?”
“Carol’s car.”
Carol muttered:
“Wonderful.”
Michael stood.
“Shaw knows too.”
Daniel stepped closer.
“Why did you fake your death?”
“I didn’t.”
“What?”
“They thought they killed me.”
Michael lifted his shirt.
Bandages covered his side.
“I woke up in a morgue transport.”
Daniel stared.
Michael continued.
“I couldn’t go to the police. Brenner owns half the unit.”
“Rachel.”
Michael’s face changed.
Daniel held up the photograph.
“You told Ethan I was there when she died.”
“I said you were there that night.”
“That’s not the same thing.”
“No.”
Michael looked at his son.
Then back at Daniel.
“Rachel is alive.”
Ethan stopped breathing.
“What?”
Michael’s eyes filled with pain.
“She’s been alive this whole time.”
Daniel felt his anger rise.
“Where?”
“That’s what the key opens.”
Ethan pulled the tiny metal object from his shoe.
Michael’s face went pale.
“You still have it?”
Ethan nodded.
Michael grabbed his son’s shoulders.
“Listen to me carefully.”
A car door slammed outside.
Then another.
Michael looked toward the ceiling.
“They’re here.”
Daniel moved toward the stairs.
Michael caught his arm.
“There’s something else you need to know.”
“What?”
Michael looked him straight in the eyes.
“Rachel isn’t Shaw’s prisoner.”
Daniel frowned.
Michael whispered:
“She works with him.”
Then the lights went out.
The next chapters are on the left side of your screen.
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